Part 24 (1/2)
Ten minutes later the three knocks sounded, and the curtains were drawn aside to reveal a battered set that was partly garden, partly forest, in which Clis stood the beautiful,his cue, and ied Scaramouche, as anon to follow him
Andre-Louis was assailed with nausea in that dreadmental review of the first act of this scenario of which he was himself the author-in-chief; but found hisfrom his skin, he stepped back to the wall, where above a di the brief outline of the piece He was still studying it, when his ars He had a gli, and he caught a raucous growl:
”Climene has spoken your cue three times already”
Before he realized it, he had been bundled on to the stage, and stood there foolishly, blinking in the glare of the footlights, with their tin reflectors So utterly foolish and bewildered did he look that volley upon volley of laughter welco packed the hall fro a little, his bewilder, he stood there to receive that rolling tribute to his absurdity Cli in advance his huarded him in consternation, whilst behind the scenes, M Binet was dancing in fury
”Naroaned to the rather scared members of the company assembled there, ”ill happen when they discover that he isn't acting?”
But they never did discover it Scaramouche's bewildered paralysis lasted but a few seconds He realized that he was being laughed at, and rehed with, and not at He e as best he could And now his real bewilderment and terror was succeeded by acted bewilderment and terror far more marked, but not quite so funny
He contrived to make it clearly appear that his terror was of soe He took cover behind a painted shrub, and thence, the laughter at last beginning to subside, he addressed hiive me, beautiful lady, if the abrupt manner of my entrance startled you The truth is that I have never been the same since that last affair of mine with Almaviva My heart is not what it used to be
Down there at the end of the lane I ca a heavy cudgel, and the horrible thought entered ht be your father, and that our little stratageht already have been betrayed to hiel put such notion in my head Not that I a But I could not help reflecting that, if it should really have been your father, and he had broken el, your hopes would have perished with me For without me, what should you have done, hter fro him to recover his natural impudence It was clear they found him comical They were to find him far ely due to a fortuitous circumstance upon which he had insufficiently reckoned The fear of recognition by so upon hinition; but there remained his voice To dissearo was a Spaniard He had known a Spaniard at Louis le Grand who spoke a fluent but rotesque excess of sibilant sounds It was an accent that he had often imitated, as youths will imitate characteristics that excite their ht him of that Spanish student, and it was upon his speech that to-night he hable on his lips as he and his fellows had found it formerly on the lips of that derided Spaniard
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Binet--listening to that glib iave no indication--had recovered fro ”Did he do it, then, on purpose?”
It seemed to him impossible that a man who had been so terror-stricken as he had fancied Andre-Louis, could have recovered his wits so quickly and completely Yet the doubt remained
To resolve it after the curtain had fallen upon a first act that had gone with a verve unrivalled until this hour in the annals of the company, borne almost entirely upon the slim shoulders of the new Scaramouche, M Binet bluntly questioned hireen-rooratulations upon their new recruit
Scaramouche, a little exalted at the ht consider it to-e upon Cliarded his momentary blank terror
”I do not wonder that you ask,” said he ”Faith, I should have warned you that I intended to do ood hu by refusing to reflect any of my terror She was not even startled
Another ti of rease-paint But before she could find an answer of sufficient veno her soundly for her stupidity--the more soundly because hi
Scaramouche's success in the first act was more than confirmed as the performance proceeded Completely master of himself by now, and stimulated as only success can stiraceful, he incarnated the very ideal of Scaramouche, and he helped out his own native wit bythe better infor of the real Figaro, and bringing thereat world of the capital
When at last the curtain fell for the last time, it was Scara, his name that was coupled with hers in the calls that summoned them before the curtains
As they stepped back, and the curtains screened the audience, M Binet approached the lawyer, whom chance had blown into his company, had evidently been sent by Fate to make his fortune for him The sudden success at Guichen, hitherto unrivalled, should be repeated and auges and tightening of belts Adversity was behind him He placed a hand upon Scaramouche's shoulder, and surveyed him with a smile whose oiliness not even his red paint and colossal false nose could dissemble
”And what have you to say towhen I assured you that you would succeed? Do you think I have followeda born actor when I see one? You are my discovery, Scaramouche I have discovered you to yourself I have set your feet upon the road to fahed at hiether pleasant
”Always Pantaloon!” said he
The great countenance becaive erateful dog! As if I could have had any purpose but to un, and you will end in Paris You e of the Coazon When that happens to you perhaps you will feel the gratitude that is due to old Binet, for you will owe it all to this soft-hearted old fool”